Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Weight Loss Success

Last April, Jeff and I found ourselves at our highest weights ever. We had spent years sitting around playing video games and eating terrible food. I was struggling to get around and with knee troubles, having a hard time getting up and down the stairs. That is, in part, what prompted us to start looking for a one-story house in Prineville.

Jeff does all the food shopping and I asked him to please stop bringing home cookies and sodas. Back then, I had very little willpower to avoid them even when I should. He was also uneasy about his weight, having just gone for a visit where family members told him he looked fat and having gotten exhausted on a hike with a friend.

Together we decided we were ready to tackle a new project: Our health.

That day Jeff joined Noom. He really benefitted from the lessons and constant reminders throughout the day to log his food. He learned a lot about nutrition, and though I never paid the subscription, much of what he learned rubbed off on me. I decided one subscription in the house was enough, but I eventually installed the free app to track my food and weight.

I will admit the beginning was difficult; I had severe sugar withdrawal. I had dizzy spells and struggled with sugar cravings. And, having so many problems physically, I struggled to exercise. We bought a stationary bike and the first day I rode it for 30 minutes. The ride strained my knee and I could barely get up the stairs for the next few days. So, I throttled back and focused on my eating and doing chair exercises.

Jeff zipped through losing 60 pounds. He lost about 3 pounds a week. He walked everywhere and exercised relentlessly. He reached his goal weight last fall and is now in maintenance. (He's written a bunch of blog posts about his journey if anyone is interested.)

Mostly, Jeff prepared all the food we ate. He did an amazing job. We eat a ton of fruit and vegetables now. It’s nice on Noom that nothing is off limits, but you learn about serving size. For dessert, we might have a big bowl of fruit with a tablespoon of ice cream. Ultimately, we cut out lots of food we used to eat because the calories just aren't worth it. And we've discovered lots of healthy alternatives that fulfill our cravings.

Sometime last fall I tried tasting a Coke, my former addiction. It tasted gross; like chemicals. We poured it out and recently I gave away all the coke we had squirreled away in the pantry.

On average, I have lost about 1.3 pounds a week for a total of more than 50 pounds and it has made a huge difference in my ability to exercise. Stairs are no longer a chore. I ride the exercise bike for 30 minutes daily, as well as walking around the neighborhood when the weather is nice. I spend a lot more time cleaning.

I am still hoping to lose another 50 pounds, but I am feeling proud of what we’ve accomplished in the last year.

4 comments:

  1. Congratulations! It's not an easy journey to start or to stay on, so good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations on putting yourself on the list! Best wishes on your path.

    ReplyDelete